Eupnea
by Uchiki na Kage
Summary: Little Yugi is in the hospital...and it's the reason why his father is not at home and he has so much trouble growing tall. [May be Au?]


A young boy went to the window, hands grasping the hard wood frame and eyes widely peering out into the snowy expanse outside. The kids were playing and laughing and throwing snow about, the nightly predicted storm having gentled to hazy winter clouds and crisp sunny air- perfect for playing in.

But this little boy wasn't going to play in it. No, he wasn't going to go outside either. He wouldn't be hanging out with the kids his age, and he wouldn't be joining in the winter games that were only brought out this time of year.

Childish cheeks puffed out in irritation before a betraying tear streaked down the pink tinted pale expanse. He leaned up, a little awkwardly given his position, and rested his forearms against the sill to rest his chin upon that. It was highly uncomfortable for him to do so, but he couldn't be out there now so he would content himself with watching.

He could hear his mother on her cell phone, nattering away at her grandfather furiously because he wasn't coming fast enough for her. He heard the clipping sanitary sound of the doctor's shoes on tile- approaching his direction. His mother's voice cut itself off, and then she whispered a clipped good bye to his Ojiichan and the snap of her flip-phone before there was a silence.

He was starting to hate these silences.

His mother was tense and weary and …broken.

The doctor was professional and learned and a little bit removed but somehow hurting for them all the same.

He wished his Dad was there instead.

But he couldn't be, and Yugi had to accept that now. It was hard enough getting through the hospital stay with the hope that he'd be okay…he didn't think he could take it if he fooled himself into believing his father hadn't saved his life by sacrificing his own in the car crash.

There was a sigh and then he let his head tilt to rest his cheek near his elbow, eyes glazing over as he heard parts of their conversation drift on the wind in his own little world and wished for whatever was unreal to take him away, to take the voices and whispers away, but it couldn't. It wasn't real- and no matter how much he wished his mother was still broken, his grandfather was still weary, the doctor was still tired, and he was still stuck in the hospital room watching the rest of the world ignore him.

If he had any power over this place, true power at that, he would make it calm and serene and laughing all the time. The wind wouldn't be here, maybe a soft caressing breeze of lullabies, but not this wind. Not any wind strong enough to cause some damage to the smallest beings that resided in his little world.

And this wind was…whispering insidiously. _May not be able…too much nerve damage…lucky it wasn't his spinal cord…I want…no you should take him home…it would help…later...later?_ _I need to do a wake for my husband, and he'd be in the way_…_I'm sorry you lost your husband, but your son survived, you should talk to him_…_life insurance should pay for it…but it's only for a few months…maybe two years? …he'll constantly be on that thing? …are you sure he can't recover the use of…it's a possibility, but I don't want you to hope and then be disappointed that nothing happens…_

Yugi hated those voices.

The door to his room slid open as the doctor entered, an encouraging yet somehow strained smile plastered upon his lips and stretching his cheeks oddly.

"How are you doing Yugioh-chan?"

Little Yugioh blushed lightly and nodded his head, gaze still out the window and not really there at all.

"Are there any interesting games going on outside?" He couldn't go outside…

"Just the usual," sung out his soft voice, before he turned his face to the kind doctor and bent his arms oddly so he could push and twist his whole body.

The doctor smiled and made move to help him, but Yugi waved him off with a smile and managed to turn his chair around in the tight area he had managed to wheel himself into. The wheelchair was becoming a cumbersome thing, and he couldn't wait for the therapy to start so he could learn to work around it, or, _hopefully_, relearn how to work his legs without it.

The doctor talked to him of recovery, a far cry different than what he told his mother in the hall- not that the doctor knew he wasn't deaf. The staff all seemed to treat him like _everything_ was wrong with him.

He glowered at the floor as the doctor asked the very same questions he'd asked the day before and the day before that and then before that…he replied as he always did the day before and the day before that and then before that.

"No pain. Nope- can't wiggle my toes yet."

"And can you feel this?"

"…"

"Okay, I'll tell the nurses to bring in a treat today alright?" The doctor smiled, and Yugi gave his own smile even if the man was scary and fake.

Yugi watched him leave with a quiet air, and his eyes firmed as soon as he was out of sight with the door clicking quietly behind him. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. When he opened them he was staring at his legs, and, with some difficult maneuvering that tested his flexibility and the grip of his tiny fingers, he was able to move the dead weight of his legs up onto the visitor's chair (it rarely saw any other use anyway).

He stared at his toes, and he gripped the fabric over his knees as he glowered and concentrated.

Move.

_Mo_ve.

_Move._

_**Mo**ve._

_**Move.**_

He would.

They'd see- he'd be walking before the year was out, and no one would worry or be sad or cry anymore.

And his daddy would be proud.

* * *

I own nothing.  
A little contemplation on why Yugi is so short and his dad doesn't seem to be around. I hope you enjoyed this…I usually don't do this fandom so I don't want to step on anyone's toes. Cheers! 


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